Introduction: DIY Tracing Light Box for Under $20.

Let's face it, store-bought light boxes are expensive. And other DIY light boxes usually require cutting, soldering or some other form of work. This DIY light box requires almost no work at all and costs next to nothing. Intrigued? Here's what you'll need..

-1 clear plastic box/bin: approximately $5-$12 (I used an extra scrapbooking storage container that I had purchased from either Michael's or Jo-Ann's. It's nice because it's flat, thin and relatively large as it's made to hold 12x12 scrapbooking papers. These run about $8-$12 but are often on sale and both stores always have coupons.)

-4 touch lights: ~$4 (I bought 2 for $1 each from the dollar store which did not include batteries and one 2-pack from Walmart for $3.96 which included 8 batteries. Turns out they were the exact same product, so I paid a dollar more for the Walmart one taking into account the battery cost.)

-4 AA batteries for each light = 16 batteries total: $2+ (you can also buy these at the dollar store. I bought an 8-pack of low-drain batteries for $1. It's not like you're powering a car here..)

Step 1: Add the Juice

Open the battery compartments and place 4 AA batteries into each light. Follow the pictures inside the compartment if you need assistance with this step.. Replace the covers when done.

Step 2: Place the Lights Into the Box

Open the clear plastic box and place all 4 lights into the box. Touch each light to turn on.

(Note: on my box there is a small divot in the top of the box that one would have to avoid while tracing. However, the bottom of the box is nice and smooth, so simply flipping the box over before putting in the lights would remedy this situation. If you would like a more permanent light box, small squares of adhesive velcro could be placed on each light and in the bottom of the box. I probably won't be using this very often, so I wanted to be able to take the lights out and use them elsewhere if necessary.)

Step 3: Close the Lid

Close the lid to the box and voila! Your very own cheap, DIY light box. Now you can trace to your heart's content... but don't forget to turn the lights out when you're done.

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